Indra Nooyi

Indra Nooyi
Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyiis an India-born, naturalized American, business executive and the current Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo, the second largest food and beverage business in the world by net revenue. She has consistently ranked among the World's 100 Most Powerful Women. In 2014, she was ranked 13 in the list of Forbes World's 100 most powerful women...
NationalityIndian
ProfessionBusiness Executive
Date of Birth28 October 1955
CityChennai, India
CountryIndia
Slice Mango - something that, you know, is a phenomenal drink, but mango is not a flavour that is easily liked by many people in the West. People in Latin America like it. But we do a lot of Mango in India.
I spent some time at a university for traditional Chinese medicine. There's a resurgence of people eating according to traditional Chinese medicine. So our challenge is, How do you marry traditional Chinese medicine with PepsiCo's products?
Lots are written about how 'she shows up at board meetings in the saree.' My God, I have never worn a saree to board meetings; people play it out in different ways. I think I have never shied away from the fact that I am an Indian, and I don't intend to, but you can be at home with both cultures.
Not only do we have to change the food we eat... we have to educate people about what they can eat appropriately.
The medical system in the United States is among the best in the world, if not the best. What if we were to make the United States a medical destination? That would bring a lot of people here because there are a lot of sick people around the world. If they can get U.S. treatment, they will take it, but now think about what that will do.
Leadership is hard to define and good leadership even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader
There will never be a replacement for that ongoing physical contact. But I don't think blogging is meant to replace the face-to-face of friendships and meetings. Blogging is a way to keep in touch with a larger group of people on an ongoing basis, in a more efficient way.
As a leader, I am tough on myself and I raise the standard for everybody; however, I am very caring because I want people to excel at what they are doing so that they can aspire to be me in the future.
PepsiCo is a $63 billion company. Half the company is snacks, and half the company is beverages. We have a glorious snacks business and a glorious beverage business. We are extremely profitable. We are growing.
When you have to do as much as women do, the Internet allows you to - from home - figure out a way to extend your reach and power in the world. It allows you to do what job you've done traditionally, and create aspirations by carrying on a job and using the Internet to amplify everything you're doing.
Companies the size of PepsiCo is like running a little republic, there is no question about it. The only difference is that I don't have to worry about the media hounding me every day, on every word that I say. I have a board of directors that runs the country in the interest of the stake holders.
What I would not do is flaunt my Indianess by wearing a saree to work everyday, because it distracts from the job. So, I would not do that. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Social events are different. If I feel comfortable in a saree for a social event, I wear it.
To be a CEO is a calling. You should not do it because it is a job. It is a calling, and you have got to be involved in it with your head, heart and hands. Your heart has got to be in the job; you got to love what you do; it consumes you. And if you are not willing to get into the CEO job that way, there is no point getting into it.
Do you remember campaigns like 'Keep America beautiful'? What about 'Buckle up'? I believe we need an approach like this to attack obesity. Let's be a good industry that does 100% of what it possibly can - not grudgingly, but willingly.